four confessions, three kisses, and a meddlesome blue exceed
by Mimi-Kiki-Dits
Summary: [prompt: it takes him four love confessions, three kisses, and a meddlesome blue exceed to finally get it.] rated t for innuendos.


[_prompt: it takes four love confessions, three kisses, and multiple interventions from a meddlesome blue exceed to finally get it.]_

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It's late. Like, _really _late. And Lucy knows she's not going to be happy when she wakes up––because, really, what kind of sane person would enjoy roaming around Magnolia at four o'clock in the morning?––but at the moment, all she can focus on is that giant––and really, it's gigantic––thing, hovering in the sky.

Actually, to be truthful, Lucy knows what it is: It's a declaration of love. And she can bet five jewels that she knows whose––and for whom––it is.

A hint of pinkish–orange crawls over the lightening sky, and Lucy feels that––for a moment––her hectic life is still, and simple.

A blur of salmon, and flashing green eyes ruin the moment.

Lucy's heart jolts––in surprise, she reasons––at seeing her partner.

"Look, Lucy!" he grins, and, yet again, her heart races. "It's the sun! I told you so!"

Lucy nods, closing her eyes for a second and savoring the moment.

"…and I knew the mission wouldn't last for over three days! We got here before the sun!"

Lucy blinks, and glances to the rising dawn. Streaks of red and pink lightning flash across the sky, and color the vast champagne river of fading stars.

She looks up, says softly, "You know, Natsu, I really do love you."

He doesn't notice, of course––why would he?

It's two weeks later when tells him again.

She doesn't bother to correct him when he gets it wrong, obviously, because––as daring as people say she is––she's not _that_ bold.

He wins a battle, and emerges, looking rugged and panting heavily. Sweat drips down his collarbone, snaking down his bare, heaving, chest, and down _down down––oh, Mavis, Lucy wishes she were that trail of sweat._

He looks up, hair pointing everywhere, and grins toothily. "Told ya I'd win," he breathes out.

Lucy leaps and flings her arms around him, clutching him like he's going to fly away. She buries her face in his chest, and whispers, "I love you, Natsu."

He pats her head, and smiles. "I love you, too. I love all of my nakama!"

Her heart sinks, and she realizes that he completely misunderstood what she was trying to say. "I love all of my nakama, too," she says resignedly.

Happy knows before Natsu does, which, considering Natsu's density, is not surprising to the busty celestial mage.

"You _liiiiike _him!" he teases, covering his mouth with a paw.

Lucy rolls her eyes. "Yeah, but––"

"Hey guys!" Natsu bursts into the room, green eyes wide with wonder. "Check it out! A dragon festival! Maybe Igneel'll be there, yeah?"

Lucy and Happy exchange pitying glances, before Lucy says gently, "Natsu, it's just some propaganda for a company."

Natsu visibly deflates eyes darkening, mouth straightening into a line.

"But you never know," Lucy adds. "Maybe he will be there. Who knows, right?"

Natsu looks up, surprised, before grinning, bearing his sharp fangs; something that never fails to make Lucy's heart speed up. "Yeah!" he cheers. "It's tonight, so make sure to be ready by… eight, okay?"

Lucy nods, and leans in to give him a hug before leaving, but a certain feline monstrosity pushes her so that her lips brush ever–so–slightly against his cheek.

Lucy turns completely red and stutters before running in the opposite direction, tripping over her feet as she does so.

What she fails to see as she runs away is the light dusting of red across Natsu's nose.

Later, at about four–ish, Lucy has a wardrobe malfunction and, in a stage of desperation, calls Mirajane.

The alabaster–haired woman shows up with eighteen different dresses, and makes Lucy try on _all _of them; something the blonde doesn't think is possible if the enforcer isn't Mirajane.

Then, the insane–love–crazed woman leaves, right at seven fifty––eight.

Three minutes and fifty––seven seconds later, Natsu arrives, out of breath.

One month later, Lucy decides to try a new method.

She saunters up to Natsu, grabs his shoulders, and kisses him firmly on the lips.

Natsu, when she pulls away, makes a face, and says, "Y'know, Luce, if you really wanted the candy, I would've given it to you. Y'didn't have to steal it."

Lucy raises her eyebrows, groans, and promptly slams her face into a wall.

A day after that, Lucy thinks she can't be any more obvious.

Everyone in the guild––practically everyone in Fiore––knows about Lucy's feelings. Everyone except the object of her affections, actually.

Lucy marches up to him, and says, "I love you, Natsu."

Natsu looks over his shoulder, and grins lazily. "Love you, too. And Happy. And" ––he shudders at this statement–– "even Gray–teme. I love everyone in the guild. You too, right, Luce?"

Lucy buries her face in her hands, and refuses to say anything for the next five minutes.

After two weeks of acting normal, Lucy finally snaps.

He ambles into the guild, hands shoved in his pockets, Happy hovering loyally on his shoulder.

Lucy jumps onto a table, grabbing the attention of all of the guild members, and yells, "Natsu Dragneel, I like you!"

Then she jumps off, grabs him by the muffler, and kisses him again. This time, he responds––enthusiastically––and when they finally break apart, he says, "I like you too, Lucy, but why didn't you tell me before? You didn't have to jump on a table."

And all of the guild members fall off their chairs.


End file.
